Gypsy Rose is one of the currently trending names online. She will be getting released from prison soon before 2023 runs out.
But many people are still confused about her crime. After all, what did she do that got her a prison term of a decade?
The story will send a chill down your spine.
In 2016, Gypsy Rose Blanchard was sentenced to a 10-year prison term for the second-degree murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard. Gypsy Rose endured a life of abuse, with her mother falsely diagnosing her with multiple illnesses and forcing her into a wheelchair. Investigators suspected financial motives behind Dee Dee’s actions, rooted in “Munchausen by proxy” syndrome. Gypsy Rose, now 32, will be released on early parole on December 28, 2023.
Explained: What Did Gypsy Rose Do That Landed Her In Jail?
In 2016, Gypsy Rose Blanchard found herself sentenced to a decade in prison for her involvement in a horrifying crime—the murder of her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard.
Gypsy Rose had pleaded guilty to second-degree murder, a tragic outcome that marked the culmination of an alarming story of abuse and deception.
Dee Dee Blanchard, originally hailing from Louisiana, resided with Gypsy Rose in Springfield, Missouri, as a single mother following her divorce.
The narrative begins with Dee Dee’s claims that Hurricane Katrina wiped out Gypsy Rose’s medical records in 2005.
The case catapulted into the spotlight when a shocking Facebook post surfaced, leading authorities to a gruesome discovery inside their Missouri home.
Gypsy Rose, then 23, was located less than 600 miles away from the crime scene with her boyfriend, Nick Godejohn. Both were apprehended and faced murder charges.
Initially perceived as a fraudulent scheme gone awry, the story unraveled to reveal a harrowing tale of abuse. Dee Dee had alleged that her daughter suffered from a litany of severe medical conditions, including leukemia and muscular dystrophy.
Their shared Facebook page portrayed the image of a devoted mother caring for her ailing child, drawing kind messages of support from well-wishers.
The infamous “Dee Gyp Blancharde” page, now a memorialized account, bears witness to that last chilling post from June 14, 2015, which read: “That B*tch is dead!” This final update was shared over 100k times, with concerned comments echoing the shock of supporters.
Subsequently, worried friends alerted the police, leading to the discovery of Dee Dee’s lifeless body in her bed, and Gypsy Rose was reported missing.
Astonishingly, it was revealed that during the time these messages were posted, Blanchard was at her boyfriend’s home in Wisconsin, nearly 600 miles from the crime scene. Both Gypsy Rose and Nick Godejohn were arrested.
Contrary to her public portrayal as wheelchair-bound, Gypsy Rose was found capable of walking unaided, a revelation that prompted Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott to emphasize the deceptive nature of the case.
Investigators believed Dee Dee may have been partly motivated by financial gain, as she received donations from various sources and even secured a free house from Habitat for Humanity.
Godejohn admitted to the murder, claiming Gypsy Rose had asked him to commit the act and provided him with the murder weapon.
He stole cash and mailed the weapon to his Wisconsin home before the pair fled there. Godejohn received a life sentence, with an additional 25 years for armed criminal action.
The underlying psychological factor in this tragic tale was the presence of Munchausen syndrome, now known as “factitious disorder,” a mental illness in which an individual deceives others by feigning illness, self-injury, or purposely becoming sick.
In this case, it was a “factitious disorder imposed on another,” or Munchausen by proxy, where caregivers falsely present others as being ill, injured, or impaired.
Gypsy Rose later revealed in 2018 that her mother employed her remarkable charm to convince doctors that her daughter suffered from a multitude of debilitating ailments.
Gypsy Blanchard revealed that her mother forced her to use a wheelchair, falsely diagnosed her with multiple physical and mental ailments, and even resorted to restraining her with dog leashes and handcuffs when she defied her mother’s control.
While Munchausen by proxy is relatively rare, it was undeniably a central factor in this distressing case of prolonged abuse.
Remarkably, Gypsy Rose, now 32, is slated for early parole release on December 28, seven years before her initially scheduled 10-year sentence would conclude.
Her first post-release wish? To meet Taylor Swift, whose song “Eyes Open” had provided solace during her traumatic ordeal.
The gripping story inspired the 2019 Hulu miniseries “The Act,” featuring Joey King as Gypsy Rose and Patricia Arquette as Dee Dee. This production earned both Emmy and Golden Globe recognition.
Additionally, an ebook titled “Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom” is set to be published on January 9, 2024, promising further insights into this complex and profoundly tragic tale of abuse, survival, and the pursuit of freedom.
What do you think about Gypsy Rose’s actions? Was she morally right to murder her mother?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Source: CBS News
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